तेरे बिन

अनसुनी मेरी हर बात है

कश्मकश भरी हालात है

तेरे बिन ओ साथिया

जागते फिर क्यूँ जज़्बात है?

हटती नहीं नज़र तुमसे

कटता नहीं ये पल मुझसे 

तू नहीं है सामने 

प्रीत फिर भी क्यूँ है तुमसे?

नज़रें ढूंढ़ती है चेहरा तेरा 

छीन लिया जो तूने चैन मेरा 

तू ना आएगा इस पल 

इंतज़ार फिर क्यूँ है तेरा?

सूख गयी स्याही क़लम की 

ख़ामोश पन्ने भी उदास है 

तू कहीं भी तो नहीं है 

फिर क्यूँ तेरे होने का एहसास है?

आज मीठी सी धूप खिली है

ख़ुशी की लहर छा रही है 

शायद तुमने भी याद किया मुझे 

आहट तुम्हारे आने की हो रही है 

आहट तुम्हारे आने की हो रही है 

The Dark Secret

Little Tania was playing with her mother when she heard a knock at the door. She knew it was her time to leave the room.

She lived with her mother in a small dark room which had a bed, a few utensils and her toys. She opened the old tin door that made a screechy noise and stepped aside. A middle-aged man in an inebriated condition entered as she walked out silently with her doll.

By now she was used to it. She would wait patiently in the veranda for the door to open. Her mother made a small arrangement in the veranda for Tania. A canopy with her toys and some snacks. Sometimes she would also fall asleep there.

She was too young to understand what was going on. She was told not to disturb when her mother was working and she obeyed completely.

Every night she would sadly leave her mother’s lap to let a new man enter the room. Young, old, fat, dark, she witnessed all sorts of men intruding her house. Sometimes some would offer her a chocolate and she would happily move to her tiny abode to let her mother do her work.

Yes, her mother was a sex worker. Tania got an idea of it in her adolescence and she started hating her mother to the core. She couldn’t come out of the hatred and shock for a few years.

By now her mother made enough money to move to a better place. Here Tania had her own room and she would always keep herself locked in it. Her mother purposely moved to a nicer place so that Tania could grow up in a civilized society.

She wanted to keep Tania away from the glare so now she mostly met her clients in hotels. She would entertain her clients at home only during day time when Tania went to school. All her hard work was paid off when Tania came out with flying colors in her school.

It was in her college days that she learnt more about prostitution, escorts and sex workers. She was shocked to see some of her batch mates also spending nights at hotels just for fun.

It was for the first time in all these years she asked her mother what made her enter this dark world.

It all started when she gave birth to a girl child. She was left to die in the streets with her baby girl. She was saved by the nearby ragpickers. There she got to know about this highly paid job. Her only motive was to earn huge amount of money so that she could give the best of everything to Tania.

Initially, it was very difficult, she cried at her fate all the time. But when she started getting paid the amount she asked for she was determined to continue.

Tania cried inconsolably hearing the struggle her mother had gone through. She asked her to stop doing it immediately. She cursed herself for being a girl child and bring so much sorrow in her mother’s life.

When she stopped crying and cursing, her mother held her hands and made her swear on her not to reveal it to anyone about her mother’s profession. She knew if this dark secret is revealed her daughter would not be able to lead a dignified life.

Tania could not sleep that night. She kept tossing in her bed thinking what all her mother must have gone through.

It was because of sex she was alive. Sex paid for her education. Sex was the reason she had to never sleep empty stomach. Sex paid for her clothes, books and toys but she has to bury this secret deep in her heart for the rest of her life because sex still remains a taboo.

“Reasons Why I Trust This Food Safety Mark”

Being a mom, I have become more conscious and concerned about food safety and its hygiene. I wanted to ensure that whatever I give to my kids should be safe. A major portion of children's diet comprises of milk, so let's talk about hygiene and safety related to milk first.

After I stopped nursing my baby and started giving him milk from the market, what concerned me most wasits hygiene. The way in which dairy milk is delivered to doorsteps in canisters was a very unsafe option. Sometimes even the lids were half open,giving me more reason for worry. Also nowadays, the cattle don't get a lush green field to consume essential nutrients that help produce quality milk. They are left to graze around garbage and in the streets which are hazardous to their health too.

We now had an option to buy milk either in a pouch or in Tetra Pak cartons. As a couple, we had experience of buying both but as parents we wanted to be sure.

When compared, we came to know about the different ways in which milk is pasteurized and packed. This becomes the major reason behind the shelf life of milk. We also came to know about the adulterated and spurious milk that was easily available in the market. If not stored in proper refrigeration, it might contain bacteria which is unsafe for direct consumption. That is the reason we boil the milk, but boiling it too much can also cause it to lose its nutrients.

After gaining knowledge about the entire method in which the milk is processed, packed and supplied to the customers, I can now affirm that milk in Tetra Pak cartons is the safest bet.

Milk is the only drink that is directly consumed by babies and also other family members in every household,therefore we should be more careful while buying it. Whether you consume milk directly or in different forms like curd, sweets or butter milk, if it is contaminated it would take a toll on the entire family’s health. 

It's a myth that milk in Tetra Pak cartons contains preservatives to increase its shelf life. The truth however is that the method in which milk is processed and packed in Tetra Pak is the reason why it can be readily consumed and also can be stored for a longer time. The packaging also makes it convenient to store the milk in the carton itself without pouring it out in another utensil, also because it doesn’t need to be boiled before consumption.

Milk is extracted from the udders of cows through pipes and then sent for processing. The entire process happens in a germ-free environment and does not require human contact. This also ensures that the milk is not contaminated even through airborne microorganisms. The extracted milk in the pipes goes through an Ultra High Temperature (UHT) process with temperatures exceeding 135 degrees Celsius, which results in killing the bad bacteria without losing its nutritional value. The packaging of Tetra Pak carton is done in 6 layers which ensures no external environment can enter the food product. The packaging also makes it convenient to store and carry.

Taking care of your family and especially kids is a huge responsibility and when it comes to their health, one should always be more careful. I can now rely on Tetra Pak cartons for most of the food items that are available in the market. It is safe, hygienic and convenient to use for one and all. Just look for the Tetra Pak logo and be safe for sure.

ख़्वाब

ख़्वाब जो साथ देखे है हमने 

हर उस सपने को सजाना है 

छोटे छोटे अनगिनत है 

हर ख़्वाहिश को पंख लगाना है 

भाग दौड़ की ज़िंदगी में 

दो पल साथ बिताना है 

ख़ूबसूरत से उस पल में 

ख़ामोश ही रह जाना है 

पहचान बनाने की इस दौड़ में 

ख़ुद को भूल जाना है 

ठेहरा हुआ एक शाम हो

सुकून आजमाना है 

अनकही बातों के समंदर में 

पलकों से सब कह जाना है 

कुछ सवालों के इशारे पे 

बस हल्का सा मुस्कुराना है 

दूरी कभी ना हो हम में 

इतना प्यार जताना है

आशियाँ हो तेरे बाहों का 

तेरे बाहों में बस जाना है